In subsea oil and gas drilling and production, many instances occur where tubular members must be connected to each other remotely. For example, remote connectors may connect a workover riser to a subsea tree, a flow line jumper to flow lines, or a flow line to subsea equipment.
In some instances, the connector has to be able to quickly release the tubular members from each other, such as in the event of an emergency. Also, it may be that the tubular members become misaligned with each other while still connected. Being able to disconnect quickly from tubular members at angles relative to each other is difficult.
Many types of remote operated subsea connectors have been patented and/or used. One general type has an external flange on the abutting end of each tubular member. Dogs have a load shoulder on each end. An upper load shoulder of each dog rests on the external flange of an upper tubular member as the upper tubular member moves downward toward the lower tubular member. After the upper tubular member abuts the lower tubular member, a cam driven by a hydraulic piston mounted to the upper tubular member slides downward along the outer sides of the dogs, rocking the dogs and pushing the lower load shoulder into locking engagement with the flange of the lower tubular member.